Community Education as an Animal Conservation Method One thing everyone who cares about animal conservation realises really quickly is that there’s no single, simple solution to the problems we face, whether it’s habitat destruction or poaching, to name just 2 examples. Poaching of rhinos in South Africa happens because it’s a good source of income – Asian countries import rhino horns for their supposed medical benefits, and the South African poachers probably can’t earn this kind of money elsewhere, and most of them probably don’t care about the rhinos very much either – and it’s still easy enough. Poachers are using higher tech methods all the time, like helicopters and veterinary tranquilisers. Anti-poaching units are struggling to keep up. Even that summary’s probably an over-simplification of the situation, so of course we can’t just stop it easily!

But there are things we can do anyway. We mustn’t ever give up!

One of the approaches I’ve found quite thought-provoking lately is that of educating the community about environmental issues, including animal conservation. For instance, in the communities around Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa an eco-schools project has been set up.

This project teaches the kids about things like resource management – water being an especially important topic – and the importance of recycling and cleaning up litter. Recently I led a group of kids on a big clean-up day! It was so much fun! The kids also get taught about the necessity of looking after their wildlife, including highly endangered animals like the rhino.

These kinds of projects aren’t going to solve the problem right now. They’re also not going to work perfectly in the future. Some of the kids who march through the streets with hand-drawn posters saying Save Our Rhinos are probably just excited because they’re out the classroom. Some will grow up desperate for money, and they’ll turn to rhino poaching if the government and anti-poaching efforts haven’t put a stop to this vile industry.

But I still think it’s really important. This kind of problem requires a lot of solutions, and I also think that our message will reach some of these children and help change the future of our beautiful animals and world.

What do you think? Have you come across any news of these projects making a difference, or is it too early to say yet? Do you think they’re useful for the future of wildlife conservation in South Africa (and around the world)? I'd love to learn more about this approach and hear alternative opinions.

It appears our mayor has always been grateful foreign partners with which they have managed to share the rewards and have not omited to mention exceptional humanity and sensitivity of the Kyiv City authorities in relation to homeless animals.

One of the strategic partners - Princess Begum Inaara Aga Khan (the former Gabriele Thissen) heads established in 2003 international charity organization "SOS-projects" ("for help animals and humans”).http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-67153489.html. Recently one of the Aga Khan - Catherine (Catherine Beriketti before marriage with Sadruddin) wrote a letter to the Ministry of Nature, that became one of the features of the campaign, officially launched in February 2010. While the same campaign, due to the development and dissemination of public opinion, have started in 2008 in Ukraime as antizoocidical ("stop zoocide"), in the West countries in 2009 it acquired the character of anti-Ukrainian ("stop Ukraine!"):http://www.stop-animals-genocid.com/( Read more...Collapse )

Factory Farming Petition - please sign Hey everyone, could you please take a look at my petition and sign it if you agree with the cause =] it would be much much appreciated. If anyone has any comments etc. please feel free to let me know your thoughts

The owner of this hamster intentially placed the hamster in a situation, where he/she made the hamster tip backwards and hamster's paws got stuck between the piano's keys for at couple of moments. This is NOT a natural position or environment for a hamster.

The most shocking part is that this video received 50,000+ views and a lot of POSITIVE comments. People write that this video is "sweet" and "cute" and completely oversee the fact that hamster's paws got stuck between the piano's keys.

This video also inspires a lot of people to do similar experiments to their hamsters. It's a mild form for animal abuse, yet it's still animal abuse.

Filmmakers Attacked By Seal HuntersSome of you may or may not know that about a month ago Seal-Alert South Africa had the amazing opportunity to buy out the entire Namibian Seal Hunt (for $14 million). I'm not 100% sure what's going on with it - I've pledged some money but am not sure where things stand at the moment. Noticeably absent, according to Francois Hugo's reports, were pledges from HSUS, IFAW, PeTA and other groups with huge base numbers. As he pointed out, HSUS has 11 million members - if everyone had pledged one stinky little dollar then they would have been sooooo close to completing the buyout.

And to be truthful, I have to express a great deal of negative surprise at the lack of interest this buyout deal has received from AR groups and activists alike. Come on, I mean, imagine if we can shut down one industry! How amazing would that be?

I don't know the ins and outs of Namibian seal hunting, but apparently it's more vicious than what happens in Canada.

hey im new(not really i just never posted)my uncle rasies cows and sends them to the slughter house, so me and 5 of my buds stole every last one of his cows while he was sleeping. have i dont the right thing when i did it it seemed good but after....i think i could of done this a better way.

About 130 dogs rescued from a puppy mill in Virginia will be up for adoption Friday at the North Shore Animal League in Port Washington NY, an official with the group said.

More than 980 dogs were rescued from a puppy mill in Carroll County, Va., last week by about 25 animal rescue organizations, said Devera Lynn, North Shore's vice president of communications. The league is taking in 132 dogs -- the most of any organization.

"You can tell they've never had any human contact before," Lynn said at the shelter Saturday amid a symphony of barks and howls. "But you can see they've been craving it."

Animal Abuse in Ukraine www.MatesMaster.com friends and romance network, the site which is constantly involved in Animal Welfare programs, joins forces with Kiev City Society for the Protection of Animals in protest to the inhumane treatment of animals, abuse and cruelty in Ukraine.

About 156,000 stray cats and dogs are annually hurt, abused and killed in Ukrainian citiesand towns. When caught by the dog catchers, some stray animals are used forpainful experiments.Stray dogs are often bludgeoned or put to death by electricity or caught using an inhumane poison and sometimes die slow, painful deaths. Instead of putting an animal to sleep with the use of euthanasia (i.e. the act of killing an animal painlessly), the animal service uses dithylinum (suxamethonium chloride), a poison which paralyzes the animal and causes it to die of suffocation in a few hours of agony. There is ample evidence that the poor creatures are still conscious and feel all the pain before they die. It is often the case that animals are beaten with legs and metal sticks, whereupon they are buried or burned alive.

Lots of people witnessed animals being tortured and murdered - little kittens tied up in plastic bags and thrown in the river, people intentionally run stray pets over with their cars, newly born puppies dumped on vacant land without their mother and left them to die.Stories are endless and make hearts of every Human Being bleed.

Authorities of small Ukrainian communities for ever used and are still using different kind of poison - rat poison and recently they "discovered" a new method of killing stray animals - Isoniazidum (Tubazidum) anti-tuberculosis drug causing cheap, but very slow and painful death

more information is available here: www.MatesMaster.com/petrescue.html

~ Celebrating elected officials who have made significant contributions to animal welfare ~ Congressman Eliot Engel, State Senators Frank Padavan and Martin Connor, Assembly member Linda Rosenthal and Council Members Melissa Mark-Viverito and Jimmy Vacca (list in formation)

~ Book Signing ~Julie Lewin will sign copies of her groundbreaking new book Get Political for Animals and Win the Laws They Need

NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 7 – The League of Humane Voters of New York City (“LOHV-NYC”) announced today that it is endorsing long-time Flatbush resident and community activist Zenobia McNally for City Council in the 40th Council District (Kensington, Prospect-Lefferts, Ditmas Park; parts of Crown Heights, Flatbush and East Flatbush). A vacancy was created in the 40th District when Yvette Clarke was elected to Congress. A Special Election will be held on February 20th.

“LOHV-NYC proudly and enthusiastically endorses Zenobia McNally’s candidacy for City Council in the 40th Council District,” says John Phillips, LOHV-NYC’s Executive Director. “We have spoken with many of the qualified candidates in this race and Zenobia McNally is clearly the best choice for those who care about animals. She has the commitment, intellect and passion to get things done at City Hall.”

“When Zenobia wins this election, she will be able to do so much to help protect the rights and welfare of animals,” said Daniel Elstein, a LOHV-NYC board member who grew up on E. 16th in the 40th Council district. “My community cares about animals and we will show that at the polls on February 20th.”

Among the animal issues McNally supports:

1. The pets in housing Bill, Intro 13. This bill would clarify the existing pet law so that the no-pet clause in a rental tenants lease, once waived, is waived for the duration of the tenant’s occupancy.

2. A ban on the sale of foie gras in New York City. Foie gras, French for “fatty liver,” is called something else by vets: hepatic lipidosis. Ducks are force-fed three times a day to produce the fatty liver disease and are slaughtered before they drop dead from the illness.

3. Funding for humane education programs. McNally also supports a resolution aimed at raising awareness about the current New York State law which mandates instruction in the humane care and treatment of animals.

McNally had this to say of the endorsement: “As we go about the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we too often forget that animals play an important role in our lives. I support and will sponsor legislation that will protect the rights of animals and their caregivers, and I am honored that the League of Humane Voters have entrusted me with this mission.”

LOHV-NYC’s endorsement process includes a written questionnaire and an in-person interview with its Director and members of its Executive Committee. The final decision on all endorsements is made by its Board of Directors.

LOHV-NYC is the non-partisan political voice of the city’s animal protection movement. For more information, please visit their webpage at http://www.humanenyc.org or call (212) 889-0303.

New York, January 8 – The League of Humane Voters of New York City (LOHV-NYC) released its 2006 City Council Humane Scorecard today. In it, the 51 members of the New York City Council are scored on a scale from 0 to 100, according to whether they sponsored bills relating to the humane treatment of animals. The average score among all five boroughs was 38. Manhattan scored highest, with an average of 60.

“Millions of New Yorkers care about the humane treatment of animals, and many bring this concern with them to the polls,” said John Phillips, LOHV-NYC’s Executive Director. “The City Council Humane Scorecard holds legislators accountable to humane voters by bringing their records to light.”

The bills legislators were scored on are: the pets in housing bill, Intro 13; the pet shop sprinkler bill, Intro 417; a resolution in support of the New York State humane education mandate, Reso. 497; pedicab regulations (competitors of horse-drawn carriages), Intro. 75; and a bill to help the wild/exotic animals used in performances, Intro. 389. More information on each of the bills is included in the scorecard.

Who are the most animal friendly members of the City Council? Four legislators received perfect scores on the Humane Scorecard: Council Members Rosie Mendez (D-Manhattan), Melissa Mark-Viverito (D-Manhattan), Sara Gonzalez (D-Brooklyn), and Michael Nelson (D-Brooklyn). Mendez, a first-term Council Member, received LOHV-NYC’s Humane Legislator Award in November 2006.

“These four legislators are models of compassion and humane leadership,” Phillips said.

Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) also received a 0. Although she recently called herself “a staunch advocate for animal rights” in a letter to constituents, Quinn also received a 0 on LOHV-NYC’s 2004-2005 Humane Scorecard.

“We are very disappointed that Speaker Quinn has not taken a leadership role on animal protection issues,” Phillips said.

The League of Humane Voters of New York City (“LOHV-NYC”) mobilizes public concern for animals through the democratic political process. Recognizing that animal protection is a political issue as well as a moral issue, we campaign for the election of humane candidates to public office. Founded in 2001, LOHV-NYC has become the political arm of the local animal protection movement by building support amongst citizens, activists, political parties, candidates and elected representatives all over the city. LOHV-NYC’s membership now numbers more than 6,000.

Can you help us end the dog lab at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW)? Every spring, the medical college uses 60 live dogs in a first-year physiology course. At the end of the class, the dogs are killed.

Labs like this were once common, but today more than 85 percent of U.S. medical schools have implemented humane and effective alternatives. MCW owns four state-of-the-art human patient simulators specifically designed to replace animal use for physiology teaching, so MCW president Michael Bolger could implement humane alternatives immediately.

MCW administrators are considering the use of pigs or sheep as replacements. However, this does not address the basic issue—the use of animals is cruel, unnecessary, and educationally inferior to non-animal alternatives.

Top-ranked medical schools such as Harvard, Yale, and the University of Pennsylvania have produced excellent doctors for years without the use of live animal labs in their curricula. It’s time for MCW to follow that example and save the lives of 60 animals.

Contact the Medical College of Wisconsin today. Politely ask administrators to immediately replace live animals with humane non-animal alternatives.